ATP 250: Thailand & Malaysian Open

The two 250 series tournaments in Thailand and Malaysia officially open the Asian swing.

The "big" names recovering and waiting for their mandatory 500 tournaments next week, still, plenty of very good players /mice out there, tuning their form in and grabbing whatever trophy they can while the cats are away.

THAILAND OPEN (outdoor hard)

According to the ATP website, first held in 2003, the Thailand Open is one of two (Kuala Lumpur) ATP World Tour events in Southeast Asia. It attracts some of the biggest names and rewards attacking players. A number of past and present Top 10 players have won the Bangkok title, including two-time champion Roger Federer, James Blake, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and, most recently, Andy Murray.

This year's field: Tipsarevic, Gasquet, Simon, Raonic, Verdasco, Troicki, Niemenen, Tomic, Haase, Monfils, Dimitrov, Strakhovski

The Draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/1720/mds.pdf

Order Of Play:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/1720/op.pdf

MAYLASIAN OPEN indoor hard

The ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament, officially launched in 2009, is held indoors at the 16,000-seat Putra Stadium.

The Spanish Armada heavily present in this draw: Ferrer, Lopez, Anduhar, Dolgopolov, Davydenko, Nishikori, Benneteau, Baker
The Draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/6003/mds.pdf

Order Of Play:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/6003/op.pdf

Murray is not playing Bangkok this year

Poor attendence from the top players. Doesn;t look like many will go Asia!

Tenez, do you think Fed will play this Shanghai? Looking at the schedule If he doesn't play, he might have to miss another tournament either Basel, Bercy or WTF. Basel Paris and London are all in consecutive weeks.


Now he has always said he valued WTF, so what shall be his best option?

My take will be Shanghi -> Paris -> London, skip Basel.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Tenez, do you think Fed will play this Shanghai? Looking at the schedule If he doesn't play, he might have to miss another tournament either Basel, Bercy or WTF. Basel Paris and London are all in consecutive weeks.


Now he has always said he valued WTF, so what shall be his best option?

Isn't there a week between Paris and WTF? There is usually one. at least 6 days as they start on a Sunday, isn;t it?

I am not sure he will play Shanghai....but He may just turn up for the sponsors and the TD. No clue really. I hope he will but most likely, he will play Basel and WTF...losing early v Benetteau in Paris .

Just checked and you right there is no gap between Paris and London. Looks like he might not defend his Paris points. Unless Djoko gets to perform terribly, I am not sure how Federer will retain his number 1 spot.

Murray might be elected Player of the year 2012 with a OG and USO. ...though Djoko played more slam finals.

I challenge everyone to try and pronounce (and spell if feeling particularly brave) the name of the guy Petzschner (and I thought HIS name was difficult!) is playing at the moment:

PEERAKIAT SIRILUETHAIWATTANA

My guess is he does not get too many Christmas cards....

For those with withdrawal symptoms some watchable matches going on at the moment...

With Peerakiat Sirluethaiwattana?

Tenez wrote:With Peerakiat Sirluethaiwattana?

Sadly, he's out, so I won't get the chance for tongue-twisting.....imagine him as the world number 1, and the poor guy who does the trophy engraving...

Some interesting scores today:
Ebden beat Davydenko (bagel in the first and a tie-break in the second)
Tomic demolished GG Lopez. 6:0 6:2

Tomorrow:

Monfils_Anderson,
Niemenen- Petzschner
Lacko - Lopez
and I can't work this one out DAVYDENKO (who was knocked out today) - Singh

Ebden playing somebody else as well

No that was Davydenko's nephew who lost- P. Davydenko.

Nikolay is playing today.

Amritia3ee wrote:No that was Davydenko's nephew who lost- P. Davydenko.

Nikolay is playing today.

You cannot be serious!!!!

There is ANOTHER Davydenko??!!!!!
Thanks for letting us know

Yes. N Devydenko won his match today and moves to the next round.

Nicholas's brother was also a "decent" tennis player. SO it runs in the genes. Not surprised actually when seeing how much talent this man has.

Tenez wrote:Nicholas's brother was also a "decent" tennis player. SO it runs in the genes. Not surprised actually when seeing how much talent this man has.

Davy is really exciting to watch when on form, I saw him beat Fed for the first time ever in WTF (after 13 losses I think) I just wish he played a bit more all-court tennis.

Problem is that his game (timing) is very fragile. Typical of those who have talent and use it to win.

Tenez wrote:Problem is that his game (timing) is very fragile. Typical of those who have talent and use it to win.

He is really amazing when he is in full-flight.
One of the best ever times I saw Novak play was against Davydenko in Davis Cup I think 3-4 years ago. It was played in Russia and Nole played with flu and had to retire. But while he played he was sublime.
But the set or two they played was really, really special. I triedto find it on Youtube many times, but with no success.

Matches getting a bit more interesting tomorrow:

In Bangkok:

Tomic-Sela
Karlovic-Raonic
Monfils-Troicki
Dimitrov-Gasquet
Simon-Soeda
Young_Verdasco

In Kuala Lumpur:

Davydenko-Istomin
Dolgopolov-Falla

Amazing to think that back in 2005 Federer played Murray in Bangkok final.
Murray was 18.
An interesting blast from the past and nostalgic trip when both players played a bit differently and maybe more attractive than now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_STWKr3v3SU#!

Good find NITB. Interesting to see the physical metamorphose of Andy Murray. Even his jaw bones became wider.

It's form S. Tignor's article:

http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/09/catching-tape/39571/#.UGNtrhi0bgo

Aren't you going through metamorphosis Tenez? Although it's bit mental.

This forum is such a joke and run by jokers.

Wow, I thought you liked Tenez??

Amritia3ee wrote:Wow, I thought you liked Tenez??

Your answer lies in your question "liked". I did like tenez and co but their single minded agenda and double standards are beyond anyone's comprehension. If soemone needs a laugh riot then they should read comments here, the best laughing remedy.

wow3 wrote:

Amritia3ee wrote:Wow, I thought you liked Tenez??

Your answer lies in your question "liked". I did like tenez and co but their single minded agenda and double standards are beyond anyone's comprehension. If soemone needs a laugh riot then they should read comments here, the best laughing remedy.

Well certainly many people will agree with you there.

Personally I feel as long as you are polite and respectful that is ok

Amritia3ee wrote:

wow3 wrote:

Amritia3ee wrote:Wow, I thought you liked Tenez??

Your answer lies in your question "liked". I did like tenez and co but their single minded agenda and double standards are beyond anyone's comprehension. If soemone needs a laugh riot then they should read comments here, the best laughing remedy.

Well certainly many people will agree with you there.

Personally I feel as long as you are polite and respectful that is ok

I try hard to stay polite but it's tough when you have so much mindless crap going on

Wow, if you feel that people have an agenda etc, (which I and most other neutrals full agree with) you should try and expose it
Better than getting angry,no

Amritia3ee wrote:Wow, if you feel that people have an agenda etc, (which I and most other neutrals full agree with) you should try and expose it
Better than getting angry,no

is that the PM order you got from your bosses on v2?

What do you mean?

Interesting outlook on the start of Asian swing:

"The Asian swing began this week – on the men’s side – in Thailand and Malaysia. For the men, this is the fourth year after the Tour set up a month in Asia when the World Tour Finals moved from Shanghai to London in 2009.

The 2009 swing is a perfect example of what can happen. When Nikolay Davydenko won the title in Kuala Lumpur, no one really raised an eye; when he won the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, a few people sat up and took notice. But the Russian then made his mark in a big way just a few weeks later when he romped to victory in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, the biggest win of his career by far. Asia had provided him with the confidence.

Someone always makes a run – Janko Tipsarevic kick-started his run to London in 2011 (as an alternate, who ended up beating his fellow Serb Novak Djokovic) by winning in Kuala Lumpur. “A lot of decision-making is going to be done in these few tournaments and every victory counts," Tipsarevic said this week. Last year, of course, Andy Murray won three titles on the trot in Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai to round of his season nicely, a way to make up for his rather lacklustre post-Australian Open period in 2011. "

Last year, Murray cleaned a few touraments and racked up a lot of points in the absence of the top 3. Will be interesting to see how it develops, as there's quite a lot on the line regarding ranking and the pole position for next year.

Also, could Berdych make a breakthrough this particular season as he will be flying high on his Davis Cup confidence, will be keeping in top for m for the coming final, and indoor conditions suit his game perfectly.

Dolgo waking up and turning the match around v Falla. Davydenko, the real one, through.

Looking forward to Rao v Karlo.

Tenez wrote:
Looking forward to Rao v Karlo.

you are a masochist Yes, it's going to be really interesting!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:
Looking forward to Rao v Karlo.

you are a masochist Yes, it's going to be really interesting!

Well certainly a change!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:
Looking forward to Rao v Karlo.

you are a masochist Yes, it's going to be really interesting!

Well certainly a change!

Just starting, anyone watching?

Sisling beats Lopez in two tie-breaks, Falla fells Dolgopolov in 3.

Bandanas are definitely passe. Raonic looks ridiculous with it!
If you want to have a laugh try and imagine Nole and Murray with one (or Berdych, or....)

Raonic wins the first set in the tie-break

noleisthebest wrote:Raonic wins the first set in the tie-break

That's a surprise!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Raonic wins the first set in the tie-break

That's a surprise!

I'll be disappointed if it doesn't go to three tie-breaks....come on Karlo get that first serve going !

And Raonic ruins fun by taking the second set 6:4....ah well....


The battle of two baby- Federers next:

Gasquet-Dimitrov

Amazing to observe Dimitrov and his superficial resemblance to Federer.

All that in vain without the main ingredient: the juice and grunt to come forward. Some call it guts

Gasquet looks so much better when he's on that baseline and moving in a bit than constantly belting the ball from behind.

And Richie breaks back!!!!! C'mon Frenchie

Greggy's lost all the wind in his sails suddenly....funny...it really is all on the inside, or as Nadal would call it: mental!
I'll settle for the battle of wills expression, that sums it up for me best.

Yes between Gasquet and Dimitrov, mind and talent have a big say in the match.

And he does it
Now let's see what Greggy's made of!
(not that I need the answer )

Greggy needs to learn to grind a bit. Just as a plan B.